Survival of patients with acute leukemia after hematopoietic cell transplantation A 8-years single center study in Mexico

Abstract

Introduction: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the treatment for acute leukemia in children, the most common type of cancer in children. The objective of the present study was to determine the overall and disease-free survival in a group of patients undergoing HSCT and to explore the risk factors for pediatric patients with acute leukemia.

Methodology: This observational study includes all pediatric patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or lymphoid leukemia (ALL), undergoing HSCT from March 2011 to March 2018, presented at the Federico Gómez Children's Hospital. Kaplan Meier curves are constructed for overall survival by subgroups according to the type of leukemia and disease-free status, as well as a multivariable study to measure risk factors.

Results: 53 patients were included in the analysis. 5 patients (11%) had primary graft failure. Overall survival was 28% at 24 months. Thirty patients (67%) died. The median overall survival was 11 months. For AML, it was 8.9 months, and for ALL, it was 12.4 months. One of the risk factors was age >10 years at the time of transplant OR 5.2 (1.07-25.12) P=0.04 and the number of relapses prior to transplant OR 4.3 (1.2-15.07) P=0.025.

Conclusion: Patients who survived one year free of the disease had a better prognosis. In studies related to HSCT, it has not been reported that there is an age range of transplant recipients that is related to higher mortality, which is why it is a significant and independent risk factor.